By Miriam Raftery and Henri Migala

View Zoom interview with Dr. Mark Sawyer, infectious disease specialist at Children's Hospital and advisor to the FDA, responding to parents' concerns:  https://youtu.be/qSlSxgWUQaU   

View video of protesters:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deM8NE8SWAo

October 20, 2021 (La Mesa) – Over 300 parents, teachers, staffers and students held a protest Tuesday against new mandates to require vaccines in public schools and against existing mask mandates.

Local demonstrators gathered on the Grossmont bridge over Interstate-8 in La Mesa, part of a statewide school walkout day over California’s public health mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants waved flags and held signs, slowing traffic on the freeway as some motorists honked in support.

ECM spoke with several parents  regarding their concerns for their children's health, and also consulted a prominent pediatric medical expert on COVID-19 to respond to those concerns. In addition, we reached out to two East County school districts to assess the impact of the walkout on school funding and attendance.

Parents and school employees speak out; medical expert responds

Source: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

October 19, 2021 (El Cajon)  – Grossmont College’s 43rd annual Career Expo will be virtual again this year to avoid the crush of attendees the popular event typically draws, but organizers are making the online environment as interactive as they can.

Grossmont College, the San Diego Workforce Partnership, and the East County Chamber of Commerce will host the free, public event 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 27.

Students, alumni, job- and career- seekers in the general public can register at https://tinyurl.com/VirtualCareerExpo2021. Employers can register for free at https://tinyurl.com/5ctu4xyb. A Remo login will be emailed upon registration.

Remo is an easy-to-use virtual conference platform that will allow job-seekers to visit multiple “tables” and be interviewed privately in real time by potential employers. When the conference switches to presentation mode, attendees can visit as avatars. A digital room with tables will be available where they can sit and listen to presentations. They can also take part in chat and networking sessions among themselves and vendors.

Contest open to all high school students 

By Sue Sutton

October 15, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) -- The La Mesa-El Cajon Branch of the American Association of University Women is sponsoring the annual Speech Trek, speech contest, open to all high school students in grades 9-12. The in-person contest is open to all high schools including public, charter and private.

Each year, a critical topic is selected and students, along with a branch/teacher coach, create, prepare and present an original, 5-6 minute speech. This year’s topic is "Has the United States lived up to its pledge of “liberty and justice for all?  Would requiring the study of diversity, equity and inclusion in a high school setting help ensure liberty and justice for all?” 

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

October 8, 2021 (Sacramento) -- Hundreds of thousands of teachers, nurses, social workers, military officers and others in public service can breathe a sigh of relief tonight as the Biden administration announced major reforms to the public-service loan forgiveness program.

East County News Service

September 28, 2021 (El Cajon) - Grossmont College’s Stagehouse Theatre, which has not permitted in-person performances for more than 18 months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, reopens to live audiences when it launches its 2021-22 season September 30 with a staging of Into the Woods.

Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

September 9, 2021 (El Cajon) - A former community engagement manager with the County of San Diego is the new Director of Public Information, Government Relations and Community Relations at the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.

East County News Service

Photo: Creative Commons image by ND via Bing

September 5, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – “As school season is starting back up, I am aware of the financial barriers that many parents or students face,” says Supervisor Joel Anderson in an email to constituents listing scholarships available. “Having three children go through this process, I understand the value behind scholarship opportunities and the importance behind financial assistance,” he adds. “I’ve asked my staff to assemble this list of financial resources and scholarship opportunities available to you.”

This list is not officially endorsed by the County, but was created to assist students attain their goals of continuing their education. Anderson says his staff made an effort to find diverse scholarship opportunities and reminds students that many of these opportunities have upcoming deadlines.

If you know of scholarship resources not listed that you would like to see added, you can email michael.botello@sdcounty.ca.gov.

East County News Service

September 4, 2021 (Spring Valley) – Mt. Miguel High School Foundation, the nonprofit organization devoted to helping Mt. Miguel High School, is hosting Quartermania on Saturday, October 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mt. Miguel High School Multi-Cultural Event Center, 8585 Blossom Lane, Spring Valley. The cost of admission is $20; all proceeds will go toward Mt Miguel High School Special Projects.

By Miriam Raftery

August 25, 2021 (Spring Valley) –  Boys and girls in grades K-5 and their families are invited to attend Cub Scouts Pack 355 “Join Night” on September 7 at 6:30 p.m. at Santa Sophia Academy, 9806 Juan Street, Spring Valley.

While supplies last, backpacks filled with school supplies are still available for pickup at the Herrick Library

East County News Service

Photo courtesy of Grossmont Healthcare District

August 12, 2021 (La Mesa) - The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) supported hundreds of East County San Diego families at their three-day Family End of Summer Palooza event, giving away essentials to prepare for back to school.

East County News Service

August 9, 2021 (Sacramento) -- On Wednesday, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and a lineup of public health experts, legendary guests and youth leaders will promote vaccine effectiveness in a Virtual Vaccine Town Hall. The event is designed to capture the interest and engagement of individuals of all ages and across demographic, geographic, and social groups and inform the important conversations around a safe return to in-person learning. The goal of the event is to reach at least one million Californians and have an impact on boosting vaccination rates for the benefit of schools and communities. The Virtual Vaccine Town Hall will include Spanish language and American Sign Language interpretation service and be accessible by teleconference and viewable by Zoom webinar and on the California Department of Education (CDE) Facebook Live.

By Zayna Syed, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

July 15, 2021 (San Diego) - Sixth grade teacher Hilary Hall had just started teaching one Monday morning in September when her teacher’s group chats at Newhall School District exploded with confused messages. Teachers in the Santa Clarita school district — located just north of Los Angeles — were panicking.

This essay won second prize in the East County Leadership Council (ECLC) 2021 COVID-19 essay contest. Prize money has been provided through the generosity of ECLC donors and a grant from the Foundation for Economic Justice.

By Anonymous Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) student in East County Leadership Council’s (ECLC) COVID-19 Essay Contest (Second Prize)

July 14, 2021 (San Diego's East County) -- Every single one of us has been affected by the current COVID-19 virus whether it was in a positive or negative way. However, the pandemic has affected people differently depending on our social status and our income. While some are adapting to school online and staying home for quarantine others are adapting to losing their jobs. COVID-19 has caused many businesses to go out of business, resulting in an overall of 25% of U.S. adults being laid off or losing their job. This doesn’t only have an effect on the adults but even on the children. From personal experience, I constantly think and stress about bills being paid because the idea of being homeless again is terrifying. The COVID-19 outbreak has caused low-income families to struggle to put food on the table and struggle with paying household bills as well as medical bills. It has been proven that the pandemic has hit low-income families the hardest, specifically African American and Hispanic households. 

This essay shared third prize in the East County Leadership Council (ECLC) 2021 COVID-19 essay contest. Prize money has been provided through the generosity of ECLC donors and a grant from the Foundation for Economic Justice.

By Maryam Hashimi

El Cajon Valley High School student

July 13, 2021 (San Diego's East County) -- I was glad that schools were closing when Covid hit, but I was unaware of the difficult portion that lay ahead.

One of the most difficult aspects of COVID-19 was being at home the entire time. Throughout the academic year, I was heavily involved in school events. I would leave for school at 7 a.m. and return at 7 p.m.

Moving from a full schedule to an empty one was a significant adjustment. I simply didn’t know what to do with myself at home. My track and field, volleyball, and fashion show were all canceled, which made me very sad. Those were the only things that could keep me motivated and joyful on a daily basis. I grew depressed and had sporadic moments that I simply cried because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to achieve my goals.

This essay shared third prize in the East County Leadership Council (ECLC) 2021 COVID-19 essay contest. Prize money has been provided through the generosity of ECLC donors and a grant from the Foundation for Economic Justice.

By Julia Baxter

West Hills High School student

July 11, 2021 (San Diego's East County) -- Even if you were not infected by COVID-19, no person escaped being impacted by it. The virus infiltrated every aspect of life, from having to instinctively grab a mask before leaving the house to causing national lockdowns. Life revolving around the coronavirus is starting to feel like the new normal. Students are one particular group that’s accustomed to persisting in the face of adversity, but the latest challenge has been difficult to adjust to for many, and it’s sink or swim. 

After experiencing almost a full school year in the midst of a pandemic, the unpredictability of life is beginning to grow old. Upperclassmen deal with colleges changing their requirements for applications on a monthly basis. They’re anxious about tests like the SAT and ACT being canceled and rescheduled constantly, and fight to get in extracurriculars to make up for lost time during the lockdown. Underclassmen are either freshmen who didn’t finish their last semester of middle school and began their first year of high school without seeing their teachers in person until September, or they are sophomores who did not get the chance to finish adjusting to high school expectations due to having their school year cut short.